Tobacco barn



Nov. 9, 1965 J. G. LONG ETAL TOBACCO BARN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 2, 1962 INVENTOR JOHN G. LONG WILLIAM R. LONG PHlLlP J. T. RAWLINS I I Z122 ATTORNEY Nov. 9, 1965 J. G. LONG ETAL TOBACCO BARN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 2, 1962 S m m G WN VO NL R I v. GRT. M u mm OLW d m H P a: c 4 C. i r27.

ATTORNEY United States Patent ce 321w Patented Nov. 9, 1965 FIG. 2, a transverse section on the lines 22 of FIG. 3,216,130 TQBACC BARN FIG. 3, a section through the furnace on lines 33 John G. Long, Wiliiain R. Long, and Philig J. T. Rawlins, of FIG 2;

Tarboro, N.C., asslgnors to Long Mauutacturmg Com- 5 FIG 4 a fragmentary section on lines of FIG- pany, Tarboro, N.C. 100 3;

fgg fgygf ggig g FIG. 5, a fragmentary rear elevation of the furnace showing the ventilating door operating means;

This application is a continuation-in-part of applica- 6 i513 lrge ragmentary detail taken along lines tion Serial No. 150,421, filed November 6, 1961. 10 0 an I This invention relates to the harvesting, handling and th 7 7a ;Ia%II1lT6II1Gtal'5y detail of a section taken along curin of tobacco including apparatus and equipment eme lnes 0 ployei in such operation and designed to facilitate the Briefly stated the barn of the present invention includes accompltiislingent of thle vork and to reduce the amount of ctlliiill gnriiri gigtgiguiiregasrozil gol 632 1 3 52, t gergg fl l time an a or lnvo ve 1 h invention relates particularly t a t b b of which are independently heated from an exterior source constructed for the curing of tobacco under controlled heat and With means fonadmitting and l'I'liXlIlg fresh air conditions of temperature and humidity;1 and Hi1 which unltlifl conflainted zclilr lginiidlateiy plt or tbot-lts begilg for hi h ualit of the roduct is t e goa. S Jec o ea an Wl e connecion eween e The cirin g of t c ibacco b2 1 8 involved numerous problems Source of heat and the curing rooms at the sides larger including a barn in which the air was heated and circulated a that at the center to e p t slde rooms to greater under controlled conditions of temperatglrehand 1humidit n: h mg air from andhthle to accom lish the drying or curin o t e to' acco, it P3 31 0 remoe orn rs 0 e rooms in W ic having be n found desirable to add to the air within the tobacco is e e barn having three separate pa bam fr h i fro h exterior d to thoroughly i merits all supplied with heat from a single source outside the same as Well as to insurei1 the circulation of the air wi gI EOB ti HmUZ-d referenc to the drawings th bar over the entire area Within t e barn. e e n It is an bj f h invention to id a b f has an outside foundation wall 10, with four sides which the character indicated with means for providing the y he of Substantially q l lengthon the foundation necessary heated air, for admitting fresh air, for producing f 10 suppoftfid relatlvvely laterally Spaced boarda thorough mixing of the fresh air with the circulating f d( t -1 ffi i il plg g the air within the barn, and for withdrawing air from remote T315? P Ora 6 me a E YP 00f 0 t e arn corners and other areas and otherwise producing a Whlch forms the pp slde of all enclosed Space formlflg thorough circulation of the air to insure uniform curing an alFfiOW p f y to l Parts Of the n of the tobacco or other products to obtain the finest 2 a jl fg g i 2 a 'f f pp 1 1, i s g li d d t, rig i e w s an a pair 0 rear wa s an q An ther bject of the invention is to provide a barn f h a r f 16. Within the barn there ar P Of having a central curing room or area with a curing room partitions 17 and 18, which divide the interior into three or area at each side and means for admitting fresh air T001115 eXteIldlng from f to f and h r om bemg from the outside into the air within the barn and for 40 Pf at ihe front Wlth apalf of doors The P thoroughly mixing it as it is admitted as well as providing 17 and 13 are spaced Q h the p of the arn such means in a manner that air will be withdrawn from and extend downwardly to a PosltlOn near and Ph t0 remote corners and other areas of the barn insuring unithe h and Vertically Supported along thelr w r form temperature and humidity. Il y p g uds (not shown). The entire Another object of the invention is to provide a barn gf cuflhg l f beneath and closely above the fi0 0r and including a heating and duct system with control means J F t e roof are p t0 allOW free rlzontal for admitting fresh air from the exterior to be mixed f with the heated air in the area and adding additional MeanS 3 Provided for e pp the bacco or other h to produce complete treatment f an entire area products in the manner illustrated and described in the under uniform temperature and humidity conditions. f tloned appl cation, as well as the manner and A further object of the invention is to provide a equlpment p y In the loading and unloading of the tobacco barn in which the air is heated in a furnace located 2223? the earher aPPhcatlon belng consldered P exteriorly of the area in which the product to be cured is contained and subjected to heat without excessive hot 3 123T; igif g z f fifigi z z g gz g zu l aie gig igg spots with ffi i i i g 1n colitmned manner desired the area containing a furnace or heater amount or clrcu a f e um i y Y unit is inset or recessed in the rear of the barn in a the area in which the tobacco is contained while mainmanner that it reduces the depth of the central curing tammg umfPrm temperature and humldl ty colfdltloris' room and is located between the two side curing rooms.

Other ob ects and advantages of the invention will be The furnace recess is formed by a from Wall 21 and a apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective of the rear elevation view of a barn;

pair of side walls 22 and 23 and with a full width opening 24 to the outside whereby the furnace is positioned entirely within the recess and can be controlled and serviced exteriorly of the barn.

Within the furnace recess is located a furnace comprising an upright wall or casing providing a vertical airflow duct structure having a top 26, such furnace resting upon the floor 27 having a central opening 28 of a size corresponding to that of the opening at the bottom of the furnace.

Within the furnace is mounted a fire box 29 supported by brackets 30 and provided with a gun type burner 31. Above the fire box 29 is an inverted frusto-conical heat exchanger 32 mounted on upper and lower brackets 33 within the furnace chamber, which chamber is lined with insulation 34 within the upright wall or casing 25. Above the heat exchanger 32 is located a circulating fan 35 mounted on a shaft 36 carried in a protective tube 37 held in place by brackets 38 which engage the wall 25 of the furnace. The shaft 36 extends through the top 26 of the furnace and is driven by a motor 39.

Air from the central curing area of the barn is admitted or returned to the furnace through front duct 40 and from the side rooms through side ducts 41 and 42. Air drawn through the side ducts 41 and 42 is caused to travel downwardly in contact with the heat exchanger and then is discharged at the lower end of the furnace through the opening 28 to the airflow space beneath the floor where it impinges against a deflector 20 and is distributed in every direction and caused to evenly flow up through the grill type floor 11' and the tobacco therein (not shown) to be cured and be returned through the ducts 41 and 42 for reheating and recirculation.

In order to supply fresh air to be recirculated and to produce a thorough intermixing of the fresh and recirculated air the upper portion of the side wall 25 of the furnace is provided with fresh air openings 43 and 44 over the ducts 41 and 42 at opposite sides of the furnace and the amount of opening is controlled by adjustable closures 45 and 46 mounted on hinges 47 and 48. By the adjustment of the closures 45 and 46 the amount of fresh air admitted can be readily controlled and means is provided for simultaneously operating the closures 45 and 46 in the form of links 49 and 50 connected by pivots 51 and 52 with the closures 45 and 46. The inner ends of the link-s 49 and 50 are secured by pivots 53 and 54 to an operating link 55 attached to a central pin 56 joined to an operating bar 57 having a spring loaded detent 58 engaging a notched edge 59 of a curved bar 60 secured by fasteners 61 at its ends through the wall 25 of the furnace.

In the operation of the device fresh air admitted through the openings 43 and 44 travels downwardly and meets and mixes with air from the central curing room or area and the two side curing rooms or areas through the ducts 40, 41 and 42, respectively. The combined air is caused to travel downwardly by the fan 35 over the heat exchanger 32 whereupon it passes the restricted area at the lower extremity of the heat exchanger where its velocity is increased with less static pressure or in the manner of a venturi. As the products of combustion are withdrawn from the combustion chamber 29 beneath the heat exchanegr 32, such products combine with the heated air and are forced downwardly and through the opening 28 in the floor and are distributed over the enclosed area beneath the floor and then upwardly through the several curing rooms, the temperature of the air being controlled by a thermostat.

The duct 40 is of smaller size than the ducts 41 and 42 in order that the suction through the side ducts will be proportionately greater to draw the air from the remote corners of the barn.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a barn is provided in which a uniform operation is provided with regard both to temperature and humidity as well as the admission of fresh air and the thorough mixing of the fresh air with the heated air with the avoidance of hot spots.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A building structure for use in the curing of a harvested product such as tobacco,

said building structure having a roof and side walls including an end wall,

a foundation wall extending above ground and underlying all of said side walls of said building structure and providing an airflow space enclosed thereby above ground level throughout the entire area of said building structure,

said end wall having an outwardly facing and completely open recess formed therein and extending throughout the vertical extent thereof,

said outwardly facing end wall recess having a floor therein mounted on the top of said foundation wall,

a heater unit mounted on said floor of said recess above and in communication with said foundation airflow space,

said heater unit being exposed to and adapted for servicing and control thereof exteriorly of said building istructure,

the remainder of said building structure having a grilltype floor therein extending throughout the entire remaining enclosed area thereof overlying and forming an upper wall of said airflow space enclosed by said foundation wall,

partition means dividing said remainder of said housing into multiple different sized curing areas in which tobacco is adapted to be contained,

said heater unit mounted within said outwardly facing end wall recess having a vertical airflow duct means therein in completely open communication at the lower end thereof with said foundation airflow space,

fresh air inlet means including adjustable closures therefor located in the upper portion of said vertical airflow duct means of said heater unit and disposed wholly within said outwardly open wall recess, difl'erentially sized individual return flow air ducts in communication with said vertical airflow duct means positioned below and adjacent said fresh air inlet duct means and in communication respectively with each of said multiple different sized curing areas,

said heater unit including means for heating and effecting direct axial downward flow of heated air therein into said foundation airflow space,

means separate from said duct means and positioned within said foundation airflow space cooperative with said heater unit means for effecting lateral circulation of the heated air within said airflow space and up through said grill-type floor into all of said different sized multiple curing areas and for return thereof to said vertical airflow duct means of said heater unit through said differentially sized return flow ducts to maintain an even and uniform flow of the heated circulated air throughout the entire extent of the interior of said building structure.

'2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said grilltype floor is of perforated metal construction,

said separate means in said airflow space for effecting circulation of air therein comprising angular air de- :flecting and guiding means located directly below said heater unit,

said angular deflecting and guiding means being effective to minimize air turbulence within said foundation air flow space.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said heater unit means and said vertical airflow duct means include a fan mounted axially thereof for effecting said direct axial downward flow and heating of the air therein,

motor means positioned exteriorly of said duct means for driving said fan,

and throat-forming means within said vertical airflow duct means of said heater unit effective for increasing the velocity therein of the downward flow of the heated air into said foundation airflow space.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said throat-forming means in said heater unit vertical airflow duct means comprises a frusto-conical heat exchanger mounted axially thereof,

and common manually operable actuator means including detent means accessible from the exterior of the building structure for simultaneously controlling the adjustable closures of said fresh air inlets of said heater unit airflow duct means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 553,723 1/96 Proctor 34-213 2,479,526 8/49 Touton 34-225 3,105,713 10/63 Hassler 131-134 3,110,326 11/63 Hassler.

FOREIGN PATENTS 29,609 10/30 Australia.

PERCY L. PATRICK, Primary Examiner.

NORMAN YUDKOFF, Examiner. 

1. A BUILDING STRUCTURE FOR USE IN THE CURING OF A HARVESTED PRODUCT SUCH AS TOBACCO, SAID BUILDING STRUCTURE HAVING A ROOF AND SIDE WALLS INCLUDING AN END WALL, A FOUNDATION WALL EXTENDING ABOVE GROUND AND UNDERLYING ALL OF SAID SIDE WALLS OF SAID BUILDING STRUCTURE AND PROVIDING AN AIRFLOW SPACE ENCLOSED THEREBY ABOVE GROUND LEVEL THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE AREA OF SAID BUILDING STRUCTURE, SAID END WALL HAVING AN OUTWARDLY FACING AND COMPLETELY OPEN RECESS FORMED THEREIN AND EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE VERTICAL EXTENT THEREOF, SAID OUTWARDLY FACING END WALL RECESS HAVING A FLOOR THEREIN MOUNTED ON THE TOP OF SAID FOUNDATION WALL, A HEATER UNIT MOUNTED ON SAID FLOOR OF SAID RECESS ABOVE AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID FOUNDATION AIRFLOW SPACE, SAID HEATER UNIT BEING EXPOSED TO AND ADAPTED FOR SERVICING AND CONTROL THEREOF EXTERIORLY OF SAID BUILDING STRUCTURE, THE REMAINDER OF SAID BUILDING STRUCTURE HAVING A GRILLTYPE FLOOR THEREIN EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE REMAINING ENCLOSED AREA THEREOF OVERLYING AND FORMING AN UPPER WALL OF SAID AIRFLOW SPACE ENCLOSED BY SAID FOUNDATION WALL, PARTITION MEANS DIVIDING SAID REMAINDER OF SAID HOUSING INTO MULTIPLE DIFFERENT SIZED CURING AREAS IN WHICH TOBACCO IS ADAPTED TO BE CONTAINED, SAID HEATER UNIT MOUNTED WITHIN SAID OUTWARDLY FACING END WALL RECESS HAVING A VERTICAL AIRFLOW DUCT MEANS THEREIN IN COMPLETELY OPEN COMMUNICATION AT THE LOWER END THEREOF WITH SAID FOUNDATION AIRFLOW SPACE, FRESH AIR INLET MEANS INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE CLOSURES THEREFOR LOCATED IN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID VERTICAL AIRFLOW DUCT MEANS OF SAID HEATER UNIT AND DISPOSED WHOLLY WITHIN SAID OUTWARDLY OPEN WALL RECESS, DIFFERENTIALLY SIZED INDIVIDUAL RETURN FLOW AIR DUCTS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID VERTICAL AIRFLOW DUCT MEANS POSITIONED BELOW AND ADJACENT SAID FRESH AIR INLET DUCT MEANS AND IN COMMUNICATION RESPECTIVELY WITH EACH OF SAID MULTIPLE DIFFERENT SIZED CURING AREAS, SAID HEATER UNIT INCLUDING MEANS FOR HEATING AND EFFECTING DIRECT AXIAL DOWNWARD FLOW OF HEATED AIR THEREIN INTO SAID FOUNDATION AIRFLOW SPACE, MEANS SEPARATE FROM SAID DUCT MEANS AND POSITIONED WITHIN SAID FOUNDATION AIRFLOW SPACE COOPERATIVE WITH SAID HEATER UNIT MEANS FOR EFFECTING LATERAL CIRCULATION OF THE HEATED AIR WITHIN SAID AIRFLOW SPACE AND UP THROUGH SAID GRILL-TYPE FLOOR INTO ALL OF SAID DIFFERENT SIZED MULTIPLE CURING AREAS AND FOR RETURN THEREOF TO SAID VERTICAL AIRFLOW DUCT MEANS OF SAID HEATER UNIT THROUGH SAID DIFFERENTIALLY SIZED RETURN FLOW DUCTS TO MAINTAIN AN EVEN AND UNIFORM FLOW OF THE HEATED CIRCULATED AIR THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EXTENT OF THE INTERIOR OF SAID BUILDING STRUCTURE. 